The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense announced a state contract for an integrated airspace surveillance and control system designed to unify data from various institutions into a single ecosystem, LRT reported.
Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas stated that the system, powered by artificial intelligence, will aggregate data from military sensors, radars, and other agencies in real time. The initiative aims to improve the identification of drones within Lithuanian airspace and facilitate timely public warnings.
The government plans to allocate approximately €5 million ($5.8 million) for the project’s implementation.
“At the national level, the unified system will strengthen the capabilities of state institutions to warn and respond to air threats,” Kaunas said. “At the same time, this state order strengthens the competencies of Lithuanian business in the field of air defense.”
The ministry outlined a three-stage implementation plan, with a pilot program expected to launch in early 2027.
By 2027, the system will integrate all connected sensors and air defense assets to generate a comprehensive picture of the airspace. Data regarding detected objects will be transmitted to regional authorities and operators of critical infrastructure.
By 2028, the system is scheduled to be integrated with data transmission platforms utilized by NATO allies.
The project aligns with a government implementation plan requiring Lithuania to establish an integrated air defense and surveillance system capable of detecting and neutralizing unmanned aerial vehicles by the third quarter of 2028.
Latvian drone incident and false flag warnings
The procurement announcement follows recent unauthorized drone activity in the region and warnings from Lithuanian officials regarding potential Russian hybrid operations.
On Aug. 14, fighter jets participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down an unidentified drone that had breached Latvian airspace.
Following the incident, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated that the possibility of the drone being part of a Russian “false flag” operation could not be ruled out, though he noted evidence would remain inconclusive until the aircraft was recovered and analyzed.
Sinkevičius’s comments mirrored earlier warnings from Defense Minister Kaunas, who stated in August that national intelligence services possessed information indicating Russia was considering provocations in the Baltic region.
Kaunas warned at the time that the Kremlin might utilize captured Ukrainian drones to strike critical infrastructure in the Baltic states, aiming to create the false impression of Ukrainian involvement and undermine Western support for Kyiv.